Even the Strongest Fall
by TARDISofReach
Summary: A group of thugs from Levi's past when he lived underground, come back stronger than ever and seek vengeance for killing one of their members. They take Levi and Petra captive. Have they finally met their match? Pre attack on Trost. Rated M for Gore, very mild steaminess, and dark themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I had the idea in class today, decided to follow it out. I am not sure how long it will be. If some characters have accents, I am one of those people that will try to write it out. This is my first story have posted on here, be gentle. Constructive criticism accepted. :)**

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><p>The wind was whipping through his raven black hair as he cascaded through the old<br>dilapidated buildings that once stood proud. He navigated through them like a shark swimming through an old shipwreck. He was a master. The 3DMG was like an extension of himself, using swift fluid motions to get his intended destination.  
>A flash of copper hair flew by him. The copper hair belonged to his subordinate who looked back at him with a smug look crossing her beautiful face.<br>"You're loosing your touch Captain!"  
>Levi's eyes narrowed and he cursed under his breath. He couldn't really be angry though, he cared quite a bit for the woman who was flaunting in front of him.<br>It was just a training exercise in an abandoned part of Trost, no titans to worry about, just looters and thugs that liked to make their camps in the rubble. Even though there really wasn't much to worry about, he wished the woman would take it more seriously.  
>"Petra, this is not a race!", Levi yelled above the wind and scowled.<br>"You only say that because you're losing!" She yelled back, a cheerful smile on her face.  
>At that moment, something slammed into Petra, knocking her off balance and making her crash into a nearby alley.<br>Levi's silver eyes widened in shock, "Petra!" He turned into the alley and retracted his 3DMG. He gracefully landed with all the finesse of an Eagle swooping in for a kill. What he met in the alley was unexpected. He took out his swords.  
>In the alley stood a man. The man had a crooked nose and a gnarly smile. He had a baleful look in his eyes. He had Petra around the waist with a knife to her throat.<br>Levi carefully processed the scene, the frightened, but stoic look in Petra's copper eyes and the defiant way she was prying at her captor's arm.  
>The disgusting man spoke to Levi in an accent that was quite hard to understand., " Now, my boss wants to 'ave a word with ya. If ya come quietly, the pretty lady 'ere won't be 'urt."<br>Levi tisked, "Petra, are you hurt?"  
>She met his eyes, "Not at the moment, Captain."<br>Levi looked at the greasy man, " I think you might want to let her go before something really bad decides to happen," a look of indignation crossed his face as he spoke.  
>"I'm not scared of 'umanity's strongest soldia," the man replied.<br>Levi glared, "You really shouldn't have said that." Levi went to strike, but before he could, there came a sudden whistling sound and a thud as it came into contact with human skin.  
>Levi felt a sharp sting and grabbed at his neck immediately. His hand came into contact with a small dart. He pulled it out as quickly as possible. He stared at the object in his hand with disbelief. His silver eyes made contact with Petra's horrified ones. A smug smile crossed the greasy man's face.<br>Levi's head began to hurt and his vision became blurry.  
>"P-Petra," was all he could say before he crumpled to the ground.<br>He heard Petra yell his name before his world went black.

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><p>"Levi!" Petra screamed and yelled trying to get away from her captor. She struggled against him as much as she could, but he still held fast.<br>The man yelled to the unseen dart assassin, "Come on ya lollygaggers! Let's git dese two get back to the boss!"  
>Two people emerged from the shadows walking over to Levi's unmoving body and taking each of his arms, dragging him out of the alley.<br>The man that had Petra began to walk behind them, dragging her with him.  
>"No! Let me go!" She wiggled as much as she could to get out from the man. Finally, she but his hand and he loosed his grip in pain. She chose that moment to wiggle free, the man losing his grip on her.<br>She took off running back to the horses, using the 3DMG to get a good head start. She went to pull the trigger to her 3DMG a third time, but it whined in protest. She began to loose altitude and she crashed into the ground again.  
>"It must have gotten damaged during the skirmish," she groaned herself. She quickly got back up and continued running back to where the horses were tethered.<br>She finally reached her horse and hastily grabbed a piece of paper from her saddle bag and wrote:

'We've been captured  
>in Trost, send<br>help.'

Petra then put the paper in her saddlebag. She grabbed Levi's horse and mounted hers. She spurred them on. She thought to herself, "_I might get captured, but I'm not going down without trying to get away." _Her thoughts went back to Levi and the look of complete despair on his face right before he crumpled to the ground. She fought off tears. She had never seen her Captain so vulnerable. Suddenly, she felt something tight around her waist, she looked down to see a rope securing its hold on her.

"I've been lassoed?" And then she was ripped from her horse, it carrying on home without her.

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><p><strong>Hello again! I'm going to continue this on my own, but whether or not I post it depends on ya'll. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, Author here. Thanks so much for all the positive feedback! This is where this story starts living up to its 'M' rating. Trigger warning: torture.**

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><p>"Petra!" He yelled, his eyes not really focusing on his surroundings. He tried to move his arms, but found them locked in chains on either side, putting him in a cross position.<p>

His head throbbed horribly. Each time the pain heightened, it was like the earth around him would expand and contract.

He shook his head to try and rid himself of the pain. His vision finally began to clear.

He was in a small dank cell lined with cold stone. He was facing a door hidden in the shadows. Water dripped from an unknown source, leaving a lonely echo in the room. It pooled in the left corner.

He looked over his bare shoulder, in the back right corner stood a solitary cot with a small blanket to act as a cover.

He internally cringed at his surroundings, "disgusting," he whispered to himself.

He began to shiver slightly due to his torso being bare. He looked over himself questioningly. Small bruises dotted along his sides. He was on his knees, his white pants becoming filthy where it came into contact with the ground. Levi cringed again.

He pulled at the chains that held his arms, his left arm was held up by chains connected the the left wall. His right arm was also held by chains on the right wall. Both sets of chains seemed to be rigged in a pulley system.

Levi tugged on them, testing how tight they were. Every time he tugged, they constricted more around his wrists. Levi growled in frustration.

'Why was I captured? What do they freaking want?'

At that moment the door he was facing, opened. A bright light flooded in making Levi squint to see who the intruder was.

Immediately Levi spoke, putting as much malice in his voice as possible, "Where's Petra?"

The man laughed, a low chuckle in his chest, "Don't worry, she's fine for now." His voice was smooth as velvet.

The voice sounded familiar to Levi. He tried to remain impassive about Petra. If they figured out how much he actually cared about her, it could endanger her all the more.

When the man finally came into view, Levi's eyes widened in shock.

"Why, Levi," the man sneered, " you look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Diego, you're supposed to be dead," Levi whispered with disbelief.

Diego was quite a handsome man and carried himself with a sophisticated air. His green eyes sparkled mischievously under the gold strands that covered part of them. He wore a flamboyant top hat with a white button up jacket and it had a cane to match. Who did he think he was?

Diego smirked, "Ah, but I'm not. My brother though, didn't get out as well as I did." His smirk dropped.

Levi tried to straighten himself more, "You tried to get your vengeance on me last time, you see how well that worked out," he said haughtily.

"Yes, but see where you are now. I am stronger than ever!" Diego flaunted. Then his face twisted into a baleful scowl, "Now, you short, little cretin," he paused, "Why did you kill my brother!?"

He struck Levi across the face with his cane, splitting his lip and making a deep groove below his left eye. Blood oozed from the wound like a sacrificial offering.

Levi spit the blood from his mouth, keeping a stoic expression he answered, " You know why I killed your brother. No one touches the people I care about and lives."

Diego was breathing heavily from rage, " That little whore, Isabel, deserved what she got. She was beautiful and she knew it! She was a tease!"

"It gave your brother no right to assault her!"Levi spat back at him. Also beginning to breath heavily, fury lighting in his eyes.

"And it gave you no right to kill Caius!" Diego screamed at him, face bright read from the force. He took a whip from the wall, it had small barbs at the end, " And it gives me every right to beat you within an inch of your life!"

Diego raised the whip and brought it down across the top of Levi's back. Levi caught his breath, refusing to show his enemy weakness. Diego brought the whip down again, a wet thud resounded where the barbs dug into Levi's back. He recoiled at the pain, but still didn't make a noise. Instead he shut his eyes and remembered Isabel and her sweet smile and high spirit. He missed her.

Diego swung again and again, ripping away skin and splattering blood on himself, Levi, and the ground. Levi's blood hung in the air like a thin mist, putting a film of red on everything.

Diego swung one last time, this time, the whip came into contact with the edge of Levi's back and curled around his side, embedding itself into a part of his abdominals. Levi held his breath.

Diego tugged, trying to get the whip out of Levi's skin. It wouldn't release. Diego got a nefarious smile on his blood spattered face. With all his weight, he ripped the whip back, it releasing from Levi's skin with an audible rip.

All the breath left Levi, making him release a gasp. He couldn't keep himself up anymore. His body sagged and trembled from all the torture and exhaustion.

Diego walked around in front of him and leaned down, grabbing hold of his hair and yanking up his head so that they were face to face, "This is only the beginning," Diego spat, then released his hair, giving Levi one final kick to the face.

Diego walked to the door and opened it, calling out to someone unseen in the hall, "Get that wench in here to clean him up, don't want him dying too quickly!" He then disappeared through the door, leaving Levi alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Sorry it took so long for this chapter to be up. I'm going to try and post at least by every Thursday or earlier if I finish certain chapters. I am constantly writing this story in my head, just takes a little while for it to become literal words. This is a little bit lighter chapter. Enjoy!**

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><p>Levi's body was on fire, it was the worse physical pain he had ever felt. He heard the door open and then a gasp. Suddenly he felt cool, soft hands on either side of his face gently raising it. He met Petra's copper eyes. They were filled with tears.<br>"Petra... Are you...hurt?" His words came out in gasps.  
>More tears fell from her eyes and she shook her head no.<br>"I'm not the one you need to worry about, Captain." She smiled slightly.  
>He tried to return her smile even though he had never been seen to smile before, "Please, Petra, right now...just call me Levi."<br>She nodded lightly, then grabbed the bucket and rag that Levi didn't notice she had with her. She dipped the rag in the bucket that was filled with water, then brought it back out. She rinsed it and brought it to his face.  
>"This may sting a little," Petra whispered, then began to wipe his face of the blood.<br>Levi let out a sigh as the cool rag came into contact with the searing wound on his face. He shut his eyes, getting lost in the gentle motions of her ministrations.  
>She finished cleaning his face, and sat back and looked him in the eye. Suddenly she hugged him. She wrapped her arms gently around his neck, "I'm so sorry, Levi," Petra sniffed.<br>He tried to move away from her, "You shouldn't touch me Petra, I'm disgusting."  
>She sat back and glared at him, "That you are, Captain."<br>She got up to tend to his back and Levi cursed under his breath for taking her sentiment lightly.  
>She gasped when she looked at his back.<br>"Levi, you are going to need stitches."  
>"Well I don't see them giving out any needles," Levi sighed.<br>"Actually," Petra said hesitantly, "They did."  
>Levi couldn't say he was surprised, he doubted the needles were clean, but if what Petra was saying, the wounds on his back wouldn't heal without being sewn. Levi resolved himself.<br>"Do what you must, Petra."

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><p>Petra had seen people ripped apart by titans, blood falling like rain on the ground as screams echoed off of buildings or trees, but when she walked through the door of the cell Levi was being kept in, she almost couldn't contain the bile in her throat.<br>Levi was in chains before her, blood coated him like red paint would cover a white wall. Rivers of his blood ran down onto the floor, creating a mini lake around his knees. Levi's arms were splayed out in chains on either side of him and his head was hung in exhaustion.  
>When she took his face in her hands and lifted it to look in his eyes she was met by his intense grey eyes. Fire still burned in them. Petra knew Levi had been through hell and back, but he still was not defeated.<br>When he spoke, his voice was tired, but still held the authority he was known for.  
>Then, when Petra hugged him, his body was warm and firm. She could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady.<br>"You shouldn't touch me, Petra, I'm disgusting."  
>Same old Levi. Even though Petra put on a fierce glare, she couldn't really be angry at him. He had just been through some of the worse torture she could imagine and he still found the energy to be a sassy little jerk.<br>She then rose to tend to his back. After seeing it, Petra honestly couldn't believe he was still alive.  
>Levi's back was horrendous, fifteen long gashes stretched across his back, disfiguring the defined muscle the sculpted his back.<br>The gashes were several centimetres deep, some going as deep as an inch. His skin was filleted open, the edges of each gash stood proudly like mountains overlooking a canyon.  
>She told him that he was going to need stitches and he told her to do what she must, so she will.<br>She cleaned the needles, that they gave her, as best as she could and then place it at the top of the first gash. She braced herself and then push the needle trough his skin to across the chasm of flesh and to the other side.  
>Levi didn't make a sound, but Petra felt him stiffen under her ministrations.<br>Eventually, all the gashes were stitched together as best as she could.  
>Suddenly, a thundering noise came from behind the walls and the chains that held Levi slackened.<br>Levi started to fall forward, but Petra caught him before he could fall anymore.  
>Levi let out a hiss as his ravaged back came into contact with the rough fabric of her shirt.<br>The door to the cell opened. Diego stepped in with a mischievous looking smile.  
>A wicked look transformed his face, "Hello again."<p>

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><p>Erwin Smith was sitting at his desk pensively sorting trough paper after paper. The sun had began to set, casting a fading halo of light through his open window. Levi still had not checked in from the training exercise he took his squad on. He gazed out the window wondering maybe something had went wrong.<br>Suddenly, Hanji followed by Auruo, Erd, and Gunther plowed into his office.

Erwin stood up at the sudden intrusion. "What is the meaning of this?!"  
>Erd tried speaking over his laboured breath, "Levi...Petra... They've been taken!"<br>Hanji handed Erwin a note, his blue eyes widening at what was written on it.  
>"That was found on Petra's horse. It was found next to Levi's!"<br>Erwin looked at them incredulously.  
>Auruo spoke up, "What do we do, Commander?"<br>Erwin straightened his shoulders, "We get them back."

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><p><strong>And the rescue mission is on! Sorry that the format of this is a wee bit jacked. I do most of the writing on my phone and it doesn't liked to be fixed once transferred over. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello you lovely people. New chapter up an running. I tried to make this one a little more fluffy. Enjoy!**

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><p>Diego strolled over to the people on the ground, twirling a metal rod in his hand. He looked at Petra then to Levi, " How sweet," he mocked.<p>

He looked back to Petra, " Its time for you to leave," Diego then called in the guards.

Petra began to panic. She pulled Levi tighter to herself, " No! Please! Allow me to stay with my captain!" Petra pleaded.

"Petra... No," Levi whispered. He knew something nefarious was about to happen again and he didn't want Petra to witness it.

Diego narrowed his green eyes at Petra, "Very well then, I'm sorry you have to see this," he turned to one of the guards, " Bring it in," he waved.  
>The guard left and a few moments later he returned with a small stove with a fire burning on the inside.<p>

Diego stuck the metal rod he was holding in the flames. He then nodded at the two guards and they rushed forward, grabbing Petra and dragging her away from her wounded captain.

Levi tensed up when they grabbed Petra. He tried to shield her from their roughness, but in his weakened state, he couldn't keep her safe.

The guards took Petra to the back wall, their grip was tight, but not painful. She looked up and saw Diego circling a crumpled Levi.

Diego got close to Levi's face and grabbed his chained left wrist bringing it to where both of them could see it.

Diego spoke, "Do you know why I slackened your chains Levi? Hmmm?"

Levi just glared at him.

Diego smiled, " It's because there is nothing more tragic to do to someone than to give them a false sense of freedom, that no matter how far they are able to move, something will always hold them back. Especially you, oh mighty soldier who ventures beyond the walls in the fight to save humanity. The definition of freedom itself."

Diego looked over at the guards holding Petra, "Get someone to raise the chains again."

One guard let go of Petra carefully as the other maneuvered to take his old on her. Then the other guard left.

Petra couldn't hear what Diego was saying to Levi. She was scared for her captain, the man she had devoted herself to. Petra began to try to wiggle free, but the guard tightened his grip on her, "Stop your moving!" He said roughly. Petra new that she couldn't be of any use to Levi if she also was manhandled into oblivion.

A thunderous noise rumbled beyond the walls and the chains that enslaved Levi's wrists began to retract, taking Levi with them.

Levi fought to stand so the chains wouldn't drag him around on the blood soaked floor. He eventually made it to a standing position, though he was still hunched over, all remaining strength he had was all about gone.

Diego then punched Levi in the gut. Levi doubled over and crashed on the ground.

"Levi!" Petra yelled with worry.

Diego walked over and pulled Levi by his hair onto his knees. The chains started to become taught, stretching Levi's arms on either side of him again.

"Stop the chains!" Diego ordered. He then walked over to the metal rod he had placed in the fire. He pulled it out, it's tip glowing a bright cherry red, causing a baleful red glow to be cast in the dank cell.

Petra's eyes widened, she couldn't just do nothing, "Please!" She begged, "Please don't do this!"

"Petra," Levi warned

Diego looked up at her, his lips twisting wickedly ," Sorry, Deary." He then crashed the glowing metal down on Levi's back. It's impact making Levi jolt forward. Diego held it there after it made contact with Levi's skin, burning an impression on his tender flesh.

Levi twisted his face up in pain, but not once did he release a sound. Diego gripped his hair again, making him look directly into Diego's malicious eyes,  
>"Humanity's Strongest Soldier no longer has wings to fly." He said. He began to hit Levi again, holding to burning hot rod against his skin for about five seconds each time.<p>

Petra began to cry, but she shook her head trying to deny the offending tears their power. If Levi could be strong enough to handle this torture, she could be strong too.

Petra could barely watch as Diego beat Levi with the fiery rod. Every contact the rod made with Levi's skin made him recoil.

But almost as soon as it But almost as soon as it started, Diego stopped. His golden hair was frazzled and he swept it back with his unused hand.

" That's enough for tonight, I'll be back," Diego then turned waving the man that held Petra captive, to him.

The man that held Petra turned and slammed her into the wall, causing her to lose her footing and fall onto the ground.

The two men exited the door and Levi's chains began to slacken again with thunderous applause. She rushed back over to him.

She took his face in her hands again, meeting his tired, grey eyes. There was still light in them, but Petra could tell they were beginning to dim.

Finally the chains stopped lowering, allowing Levi to finally move his arms. They ached from being in such a strained position and his wrists were chafing against the biting metal that encased them.

Petra looked at Levi's face, his sharp, but strong features standing out against the dim light. His hair was sticking to his head and his entire body was feverish.

She brushed back the sticking hair from his face then returning her eyes back to his eyes, which seemed to have never left hers.

" I'm so sorry, Levi, I'm so, so sorry." Petra said, beginning to cry again. This time she couldn't stop herself and a traitorous tear began to make its pilgrimage down her round face only to be suddenly captured by Levi's thumb.

He was finally able to move his arms when and where he wanted. He slowly brought both of his hands to her cheek, rubbing his thumbs gently across them. Both of them held each other's face in each other's hands.

Petra was surprised by his actions. She watched his stone cold face soften. She moved one hand to gently caress one of his shackled wrists.

Levi spoke softly , " I never wanted you to have to see that."

Petra lowered her eyes, " I know, I just didn't want to be separated from you, I didn't want you to have to be alone." Another tear escaped which was again caught by the man that was holding her face.

Levi caught her chin and brought her eyes back up to meet his. " You are really going to have to try and stop crying,Petra, I can't bear to see you cry." He continued softly.

Petra had never seen Levi act so softly before. She was mesmerised by the feeling of his hands on her face. Before she could stop herself she leaned forward gently, pressing her soft lips to meet her captain's hard ones.

_ 'What am I doing! This is not the time for this, Levi was just beaten again horribly, now is not the time to snog him!'_ Petra thought to herself and quickly went to withdraw, but Levi kept her there, his lips slowly and softly beginning to meld with hers.

Petra couldn't believe it, the man she admired for so long was actually kissing her back.

Levi snaked his chained arms awkwardly around Petra, pulling her almost completely flush against him. She began to run her fingers through his hair, tracing the short hair of his undercut and gently twirling the longer pieces of hair that she caught.

She could feel every bit of his torso against her. She could feel the hard muscles that ran along his middle. She could also feel the extreme amount of heat his body was producing. Petra pulled away, looking him over and realising that he was beginning to sweat even worse than before.

Petra looked him in the eyes again, only this time he had more of a dazed expression.

"Levi," she called, bringing him out.

He groaned, his face marking out the pain he was feeling. Petra separated herself from him and looked at his back.

Huge burn marks stretched across sewn skin, some were bleeding again thanks to the new attack on Levi's back. The burned areas were bubbling up, creating vile looking welts.

Petra regathered the bucket and rag she was using earlier and dabbed the cool water on the new affliction. Levi gasped and tried to lean away from the sudden pressure.

"It's okay, Levi, I have to do this."

Levi just harrumphed and tried to keep from flinching away from her care.

Finally she was done and she circled back to look at him, his eyes slowly met hers. He looked utterly exhausted.

"Come, Levi, you need sleep."

"But there is only that tiny cot, and I'm not going to let you sleep on the disgusting ground, " he responded slowly.

Petra crossed her arms, "Well you're definitely not going to sleep on the ground and you also can't sleep on your back."

Levi narrowed his tired eyes, "it seems, then we are at an impasse."

Petra then said something he couldn't believe.

"Sleep on me then."

His eyes went from being narrow to wide, "Pardon?"

"Both of us insist the other isn't to sleep on the ground and that cot isn't big enough for both of us to lay side-by-side, so, "she paused, "Lay on me."

Levi was too tired to be stunned for long, so he agreed. Petra helped him rise to his feet, the chains dragging along the ground as they made their way over to the cot.

Levi stopped awkwardly, "You sure?"

Petra nodded then helped him to sit down on the cot. After he sat, she slipped in beside him and began to stretch out. Levi watched her nervously.

Petra looked at him, "Come on, Levi, you need sleep."

Levi closed his eyes slowly and then reopened them. He slowly began to settle over her, though he would sometimes have to stop to avoid causing anymore pain to himself. He was careful not to crush her and he gently lowered himself against her.

She seemed fine, but he couldn't believe he was about to go to sleep _ON_ his subordinate. He looked around awkwardly trying to find a suitable place for his head, then gently lowered his head to rest in the crook of her neck. He moved his arms around her so the chains that were still attached wouldn't touch her.  
>One of her arms wrapped around his waist and he immediately began to relax. He shut his eyes and felt sleep swiftly approaching due to his extreme exhaustion.<p>

As he began to drift, Levi began to get lost in the softness of the person he was laying on. He could feel every breath and every heartbeat that Petra produced. It was against his nature to admit to himself that he was glad she was there.

His mind went back to the kiss they shared earlier. He admits that he does hold affection for his copper headed subordinate and that she had devoted herself to him, but he was surprised when she kissed him, but even more surprised when he himself had kissed her back. Levi loved how soft she was and how soft the kiss was. He could almost just forget about every pain that wracked his body and live in that moment forever.

He suddenly broke the silence softly, "Thank you, Petra."

Petra blinked her eyes open groggily, "You're welcome, Levi." Then her body shut down and she slipped off to sleep.

Levi smiled briefly then followed after her.

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><p><strong>That was a bit happier. I figured it up and it looks like maybe this story will continue on for about 6 or 7 more chapters. Maybe more maybe less. And I promise it will have a good ending. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, but I am gearing up for a huge chapter filled with more fluff and suspense. I wont make y'all wait a whole week though, I'll post it within a few days. Enjoy and thanks for reading! **

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><p>He leaned into the wind, savoring the feel of it on his skin. His fingers spun their way through the grass. He never remembered grass ever being so soft. When was the last time he had felt grass or heard the wind through the trees and had the sun share its kind warmth on his face? He doesn't even remember how he got here, he just knows that he never wants to leave.<p>

Levi rose up, craving to get more warmth the sun so kindly shared. He closed his eyes and basked in it.

Suddenly, a sensation peppered his cheek with all the softness and warmth of the grass and sun combined. He didn't open his eyes even though the feeling continued. He relished the feeling of it skirting across his left cheekbone and then running down the side of his face. He opened his eyes when the phantom touch almost seemed to caress his cheek.

His eyes met nothing, just the empty field. Levi sat immobilized as the sensation crept down his neck and brushed across his bare collarbone. He shivered at the contact. He began to lose himself in the touch when suddenly his wrists began to feel heavy and his back began to sting like the searing heat of a crematorium.

Levi's heart began to race and he could feel panic begin to rise in his chest. He tried to get up, but he couldn't move his feet. He looked at himself for the first time, horror crossing his face when he saw his mangled, bloodied body.

Fear settled over him as the sky grew dark and the sun became red as freshly spilled blood. He closed his eyes and shrank back into the grass, trying to take comfort in it's softness. He could feel the air around him become heavy, almost as if a tangible evil had awakened. He felt the oppression encroach from every angle. He went to scream, but no sound was emitted.

Suddenly, the sweet touch from earlier returned, gripping both sides of his face and this time, accompanied with an angelic voice filled with panic, "Levi! Wake Up!"

His eyes snapped open.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry it has been a while since the last update, my computer has been on the fritz and I have also spent an unhealthy amount of time worrying about the problems my car had been having. Oh the life of a sad, broke, college girl. Anyways, I ended up splitting this chapter in half so hopefully the next update should be quicker. Enjoy!**

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><p>Petra groggily raised the lids of her eyes, slowly adjusting to the dim light that filled the dank little cell her and Levi were kept in. Memories of the previous day came flooding back to her like a wave crashing against a shore. She blinked as she remembered the brutal torture Levi was subjected to. She tried to sit up and shake the memories away, but an even weight was keeping her from moving much further.<p>

She looked down to see Levi rested almost completely upon her. Petra remembered that this was indeed her idea for them to sleep this way, but she couldn't help a small blush that crept up her face. She took a moment to look him over.

Levi was stretched over her on his stomach, his right arm extended past her head and into her copper hair. That is when Petra realised that he was tangling it gently with his fingers. She looked at his face, his jaw was slack and his mouth was slightly open, but he still managed to keep a severe look , even in his sleep. Petra took a glance at his mutilated back, it rose and fell with Levi's steady breathing. The injuries from the previous day were still angry red and swollen in a few places.

Petra looked back at his sleeping face, though he still looked severe, he had a small relaxed quality on it that could have easily been missed. Petra took her free hand and gently touched his exposed cheekbone, running her thumb over it. Seeing that the action didn't wake him, she continued on to his cheek, cupping it slightly. Petra couldn't believe that one human could withstand so much pain. Her heart ached for Levi, wishing that he didn't have to go through what he did and hopefully not have to go through anymore. She slid her hand from his cheek down his neck, feeling the strong pulse that made its home there.

Finally, she daringly brushed her thumb across his collarbone, causing Levi to shiver. Petra immediately snapped her hand back, not wanting to be seen silently praising him. Levi stayed asleep, but began to shake.

Petra felt him tense up and Levi began to let out slight whimpers. She realised that he was suffering through a nightmare. His whimpers began to get louder and he started to thrash, his heartbeat beginning to race. Petra knew if he kept it up, he would tear open his back again and get the attention of their captors. She had to wake him.

Petra grabbed both sides of his face and shook him. "Levi! Wake Up!"

Levi's eyes snapped open.

* * *

><p>Levi blinked, adjusting to the lack of light. His silver eyes met Petra's worried ones. His body was stiff and his muscles ached.<p>

"Levi, you were dreaming." Petra stated,

Levi huffed, "Thank you for that observation, Petra."

Petra looked away and Levi immediately felt terrible. He began to sit up, but was met with searing pain from the strain he was putting on his back. He cried out as he shifted off Petra and came to a full sitting up position. Sweat dotting his forehead from that small effort. Petra sat up next to him, putting her small, soft hand gently against his forehead.

"Captain, you need to limit your movement, don't move unless necessary," Petra said worriedly.

Levi released a deep sigh, " I doubt Diego will be as concerned."

Petra moved her hand to the back of his uninjured neck and began to knead the tenseness out of it. Even though Levi tensed up at first a the sudden intimate contact, he began to relax into the steady rhythm of her fingers stealing away the stiffness in the muscles of his neck. He let out a small moan enjoying the small act of kindness. He has had very few in the past few hours.

Levi looked over at Petra's face, lost in concentration of her task. He looked at her lush lips, the same ones he took hostage previously. He remembered the feeling of them meshing against his. Levi wanted to capture them again, but found his courage for that was not as strong as it was a few hours ago. Levi hid a blush as his imagination started to take him away. He was never good at romantic stuff, he tended to get all nervous and rubbish, and a wee bit shaky. Not to mention how awkward he got when he tried to express feelings.

"Petra, I-," Levi started, but was cut off by the familiar grinding of the chains being retracted. The chains pulled Levi off the cot harshly, leaving him to stand in the same spot in the middle of the cell, arms outstretched on either side. The door to the cell opened. Levi expected to see Diego, but instead, eight guards entered, one standing out in front of all the others, which Levi expected was probably the one put in charge.

The guard in front spoke up, "The boss has decided to give ya prisoners a free day today. We are here to escort ya to the showers."

As the guards moved around Levi, Petra spoke, "Showers?"

"Yeah, somethin' about havin' ya fit for purpose," the grimy leader answered.

_'Fit for purpose?', _Levi thought to himself.

One guard walked over to Petra and bound her wrists in front of her with rope where as Levi had been adorned with chains all over. A collar was put around his neck with two chains attached in front of it. His hands had been chained behind his back with a chain connected to each wrist. Then finally, a chain had been attached to both of his elbows. A guard held each end of every chain and last one stood behind him with a rifle.

Levi tisked, " This is humiliating."

The lead guard hit Levi in the back of the head, "Quit yer yammerin' and git to walkin'!"

Then they were lead through the door and out into the hall.

* * *

><p>After a short time, the captured pair and their hostile entourage arrived at a door which must be the showers. The lead guard opened the door and only three guards ushered Levi and Petra in. The room was a decent size, light reflected brightly off the white tiles that adorned the walls and floor. Several shower stalls were lined along the left side of the room and located at the far end were hooks to hang clothes on. Levi and Petra surveyed their surroundings, taking in the shower room's relatively clean state. Levi squinted at a hose that was curled up along the back of the right wall, he supposed it was for cleaning the floors from the dirt people washed off. Levi was already imagining the hot water running down his body and cleaning all the grime that dared cling to his skin.<p>

Suddenly Levi was being shoved to the far end of the room by the two guards that held him, Petra calling out his name in worry.

One of the guards spoke up, "I don't know what the boss is thinking letting him take a shower alone if he's so dangerous."

"Yeah, your right about that, Bradley. Hey, maybe we should have a little fun first," the other guard answered.

Both guards took up nefarious laughs as they shoved Levi against the wall, removing all the other chains except the ones on his wrists. They took his chained hands from behind his back and clasped them to one of the hooks above his head. The height of the hook above him forced Levi to stand on the tips of his toes, stretching his body to avoid hanging by his wrists.

Petra was still being held painfully tight by one guard, she felt him rumble a deep, sadistic chuckle as he watched his comrades manhandle Levi. She could only watch in horror as the guards mistreated the man she held such devotion for.

"What do you have in mind, King?" the guard named Bradley said.

The other guard, King, just smiled balefully at Bradley and then took the hose and pointed it at Levi, a look of tired concern crossed Levi's narrow face.

"Alright, Bradley, turn it on full power!"

Levi sputtered as all of a sudden freezing cold water was blasting against his battered body at a fierce pressure. Petra watched as blood a dirt washed off of him and filtered down the drain. Her eyes met his face as King sprayed the water on his face, making Levi gasp for breath every time King moved the hose to a different part of his body. Levi only had seconds to get as much air as he could before the water bombarded his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" a familiar voice said making all laughter and the water stop suddenly. Levi's chest was heaving at the reprieve of water attacking him.

Diego stood in the doorway, " Though that was enjoyable to watch, that is not what you are supposed to be doing, now get out!"

King and Bradley rushed out of the room while the guard that was holding Petra was waved off by Diego. Diego walked over to Petra, taking of her binds and spoke, "You have thirty minutes, don't think about a way of escaping because trust me," he lowered his face closer to hers and his voice got a darker tone to it, "there isn't one."

Diego then handed her a bundle of dark coloured cloth and walked out, locking the door. Diego was met with the confused faces of his minions. One spoke up, "What are you doin, Boss?"

Diego just smiled, " I always want my prisoners in the best shape for torture, I take pleasure in repainting their bodies with their own blood. Plus, I'm conducting an experiment. Those two seem to have a stronger bond than just 'Captain-Subordinate' and I'm going to exploit that. Nothing would be torture enough than for him to watch his woman succumb to the same fate as his precious Isabel."

Diego then walked away, his laughter echoing dully off the stone walls.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello, Author again. I read an interview with Isayama and he said Levi gets nervous and awkward when it comes to romance, so that is something I wanted and am going to continuously explore in this story. Thanks for reading! <strong>


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